Should Restaurants Charge For Bread?
I say no. Some disagree.
Posted by: Mike Thelin on Nov 04, 2009 at 10:45AM
25 Comments
Dear local restaurateurs,
Although I feel grateful to you for improving my quality of life and making me so happy so much of the time, sometimes I admit feeling estranged by your wacky high jinks. Take yesterday, when I was enjoying soup at a certain downtown restaurant that’s located in a hip hotel. When I asked for bread (because one cannot possibly enjoy soup without bread), I was not informed that three tiny slices would be charged to my bill. It was, and the way I figure, I paid approximately 25 cents per bite of a baguette that cost a restaurant almost nothing.
Now as a self-employed man myself, I understand the need to cover costs. High-quality bread, like pork chops, hanger steak, duck liver, celery root, and other fine ingredients does cost money. That said, why charge for a tiny amount of flour, yeast, water, and salt when hardly any restaurants do? Are you trying to make a statement? Are you trying to change the way the world works? Would you prefer that I lick my plate in order to extract the last remaining bits of sauce, soup, or mussel broth from the delicious item recently devoured?
At most restaurants in Portland, bread, like water and napkins, remains free. At three of my favorite restaurants, Clyde Common, Park Kitchen, and Beaker and Flask, it costs between $2 and $3.50. Bread will set you back a dollar at Navarre, where I don’t mind as much paying for it because it arrives in a large increment (Five cents per bite at the most).
Fair to say, Portland bakers have upped the bread ante in the last decade with master bakers like Tim Healea (Little T’s) and Ken Forkish (Ken’s Artisan Bakery) arriving on the scene. Small dollar amounts for bread are quite nominal when one considers the skill it takes to produce a perfect bun, loaf, or round. So perhaps by not charging for it we might be undervaluing our local artisans.
That’s one argument, but consider this.
I have never been charged for bread at Higgins, Paley’s, or Ten 01. I’ve eaten probably 30 hamburgers at Castagna over the years, and Castagna has said a quiet thank you by bringing 30 or more plates of free bread. Bread has never showed up on my bill at any of David Machado’s restaurants (Lauro, Vindalho, Nel Centro), and Bluehour has survived a decade without assigning a monetary value to its pleasant and uniformly leavened rolls. Nostrana routinely stuffs with me slices of its own rustic loaves and aromatic rosemary focaccia. With the two dollars I don’t spend on bread, I order an espresso with my butterscotch budino.
Truth is, I’m really not too worked up over this, just curious. In the business of food writing, one quickly learns to choose battles carefully. And in the grander scheme, I know I’m not the guy with the ledger at the end of the month, the one finding ways to keep employees happy and fed.
I’m just a guy who loves free bread.
I used to get upset over getting charged with bread, but no more. Seems like more sit-down restaurants don’t charge while places like Beaker and Clyde are both bars that also happen to have great food. Their model is a bit different fair to say. That said, I’m glad you brought this up.
Dude, bread costs money.
My pet peeve: when bread is offered as though it’s free, and then it shows up on your bill. This is especially irritating when you’re paying $25 an entree and ordering a bottle or two of wine. The extra $2 charge on the bill isn’t going to break the bank – but it just feels like a sneaky way to pad the bill by nickel and diming diners who already paying handsomely to dine at your restaurant.
Bread is for birds.
Small plate place? Yup… charge me.
Upscale place? After a $20-$30 entree’? Annoying… and very off-putting.
Bottom line: Everything contributes to the overall dining experience, and a charge for something that is included elsewhere will tarnish my impression of the experience!
Well said..
Yes, but only if ordered. If it was just set on the table, then no.
You are getting charged for it regardless of whether you see it on your bill. However, it is usually rolled into the price of your meal.
Very true Molly, but see Ben’s comment above. The use of credit cards also incurs hidden costs, but rarely does an establishment charge for them. Some coffee shops do.
I can understand being upset by an unexpected charge winding up on your bill. You should have been informed. I can also understand the reasons behind charging for bread. I work at a restaurant who has always given bread (pearl bakery bread no less) for free, until recently. It may seem inexpensive to make, but, in reality, it does cost quite a bit (especially with wheat prices soaring over the last few years). Where I work we had to discontinue offering our usual bread due to price. It cost us $25,000/yr to serve free bread. In light of the economic downturn and fewer patrons we chose to keep all our staff, but discontinue free (pearl Bakery) bread service. We now offer a house made focaccia for free, but it is not the same and some people have complained that they want to former bread back. What to do? There are also those people who eat plate after plate of free bread…and no app. anyway just a few thoughts.
I agree with Stuart. The bar model is quite different, so they have to be more cautious about drinkers soaking up all their alcohol with expensive bread. In that case, I can empathize with charging a couple bucks for quality bread and butter. But the bottom line is that bread has historically been a symbol of abundance and friendship. Restaurants that keep your bread basket full can make you feel well cared for and valued, while those that charge for bread risk making customers feel like mere money dispensers.
Jennifer: 25K per year? Wow! That’s serious dough. (Sorry couldn’t resist the pun)
I do agree with Stuart and “L” on the bar model. I mention Beaker and Flask above. And while Beaker and is certainly a bar, it also happens to be serving some of the best food in Portland (Willy Week Restaurant of the Year Folks!). That said, because the entrees are reasonable for what you get, I don’t so much mind paying two bucks for bread.
Toro Bravo also charges for bread, I was reminded in an email.
First bowl is free. After that, it’s a buck.
In this restaurant city, bread needs to be part of the meal, especially if it is a needed compliment to the meal, like soup.
If you go to Vietnam and eat at a restaurant, they will offer you napkins, but if you decide to take one, then they’ll charge you. With that said, it’s not particularly wrong for restaurants to charge for things like bread; however, I do agree it’s ridiculous to do so. The least they can do is tell you ahead of time.
“By Ben on Nov 04, 2009 at 1:11PM
Small plate place? Yup… charge me. Upscale place? After a $20-$30 entree’? Annoying… and very off-putting. Bottom line: Everything contributes to the overall dining experience, and a charge for something that is included elsewhere will tarnish my impression of the experience! "
I agree completely!!
I’m told that Clyde Common doesn’t charge for bread at nighttime.
Hey Miguel: remember how in Madrid they would charge you for bread under the mysterious “cubiertos” line item? It’s like having a sneaky hotel mini-bar on the table when you get there: a-ha, saw you use the salt-shaker! That’s a dime a shake! Oh, and we’ll rent you that flatware. (Also, the bread was so awful.)
I see I have a lot of your columns to catch up on!
Jeff in Brooklyn
Mike, at Kenny & Zuke’s SandwichWorks, our “free” chips cost us over $12,000 per year. It’s not surprising at all to me that a fine dining restaurant would be spending $25,000 per year on “free” bread.
You are paying for it whether it appears as its own line item or not. And yes, having a separate line item will more negatively affect some number of customers’ experience. However, the places you mention are all doing pretty well, so obviously whatever tradeoff they’ve made is working — whether that’s being able to lower other prices on their menu, being able to keep more staff, being able to keep good staff by paying them more, or whatever. I understand your complaint as a customer, but you can’t fault their business sense. They’ve — even unconsciously — taken into account that people like yourself might find it frustrating, but that the benefits outweigh the costs. All restaurants make choices that will frustrate some customers or potential customers even to the point of not going. But you can’t be all things to all people. (When I was doing web development, I had a project manager who liked to joke with clients that we could be cheap, accurate, and fast — now pick two.) You just have to do what you do and hope that you find the right balance to be successful and find some regular customers whose preferences match your place.
I feel like if you order something like soup, i.e. something that sort of requires bread, you should get bread provided with the meal (meaning, built into the cost of the meal).
If you are eating mac and cheese and just feel like having some bread in addition to, you should pay for that bread.
an addendum to my earlier comment. i misspoke… the figure is in fact 12,000 $ not 25,000$. Still quite a bit of money.
Thanks MSG for the feedback.
Are your the same Mike Thelin that used to work as a commercial real estate broker?
If yes, I think you made the right move. If no, please disregard this message.
Sounds like some restaurants are still doing well in Portland. Hope many of the restaurants survive, irrespective of whether or not they charge separately for more bread.
Hi Matt. Yep, it’s me. Nice to hear from you!
I didn’t find your name on the website for the CRE firm you used to work for and googled your name to see what you are up to recently. I see that you’re back in your old stomping grounds. Great choice since CRE market is heading for even more difficult times.
I started a company this year; it is not as “sexy” as starting a restaurant, but a lot less risk. Take a look when you have the time.
www.amttranslations.com